The 2026 MMLC (4th) Lithium Industry Conference, organized by Shanghai Ganglian E-Commerce Co., Ltd. (Mysteel) and co-organized by Minmetals Futures Co., Ltd., concluded successfully on March 17 in Changsha, Hunan Province. The two-day event brought together over 300 industry stakeholders from across the global lithium-ion battery value chain, including representatives from lithium resource development, refining, cathode active material production, battery manufacturing, financial institutions, and recycling sectors.
Against the backdrop of accelerating global energy transition and the launch of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, the conference served as a critical platform for exploring the structural shifts redefining the lithium industry. With energy storage demand surging, power battery technologies diverging, and supply chain dynamics growing increasingly complex, the discussions focused on how industry players can navigate the new landscape through policy insights, technological innovation, and strategic collaboration.
Key Themes and Discussions
The conference opened with a series of keynote speeches addressing macroeconomic trends, EV demand evolution, and the multipolarization of global lithium supply. Zhou Xuezhi, Assistant Research Fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, delivered an outlook on macroeconomic policy in 2026, while Shi Jianhua, Deputy Secretary-General of China EV100, examined the transition from policy-driven to market-driven EV growth.
A dedicated session explored the rise of the New Energy Silk Road and the tri-polar dynamics among China, the U.S., and Europe. Dan Jingkang, Founder of Energy Storage Hot List, and Ding Changfu, Senior Product Manager at Xiamen Hithium, shared insights on energy storage value reconstruction and ecosystem collaboration.
Industry experts also delved into the commercialization of solid-state batteries, sodium-ion technology, and lithium iron manganese phosphate (LFMP) pathways. The Guangzhou Futures Exchange provided an update on lithium hydroxide futures, while Mysteel's Lu Qing introduced the company's lithium carbonate pricing methodology, which has become a key reference for spot and futures markets.
Mysteel Lithium Market Outlook Released
During the conference, Mysteel released its latest Lithium Market Overview and 2026 Outlook, offering data-driven projections on global lithium supply, demand, and pricing. According to Mysteel, global lithium demand is expected to reach 2.20 million tonnes LCE in 2026, driven by a 53.8% surge in energy storage shipments and steady EV market expansion. On the supply side, new capacity is weighted toward low-cost brine and spodumene projects. Lithium prices are expected to trade within a Yuan 100,000–200,000/tonne range, with a midpoint around Yuan 150,000/tonne.
The report also highlighted structural shifts in pricing mechanisms, with lithium carbonate solidifying its role as the industry benchmark and futures markets gaining influence in both long-term contracts and spot trading.
MMLC Lithium Industry Award Ceremony
The conference concluded with the MMLC Lithium Industry Influence List Award Ceremony, recognizing outstanding contributions from enterprises across the lithium value chain in innovation, sustainability, and market leadership.
About Mysteel
Shanghai Ganglian E-Commerce Co., Ltd. (Mysteel) is a leading provider of price data, market insights, and industry solutions for the global commodities markets, with a dedicated focus on the new energy and battery materials sectors.
For more information, please contact:
Email: inquiries@mysteel.com
Twitter: @MGNewEnergy
LinkedIn: Mysteel New Energy
